Bicymple: The bicycle without a chain

The bicycle hasn’t really changed since it evolved from the Penny Farthing into what we see on the streets today. Over time, it’s build and function has been improved but unlike most things, it’s never really been simplified.

Scalyfish Designs has changed that. They call it the Bicymple and like the name suggests, it’s a bike but with less going on. The biggest change being there’s no chain. The chain was removed because it over complicates the bicycles design, getting rid of it reduces the amount of moving parts. This may make some riders worry about speed and the designers of Bicymple say they’re developing an overdrive hub system which will mean none of the speed is lost.

To minimize the design further, a direct-drive, freewheeling hub joins the crank arm axis and rear-wheel axis together, meaning the wheelbase can be shortened making the bike nice and light. There’s also an optional rear-steer mode which is recommended to be locked when climbing lengthy hills or slopes. The Bicymple is currently made out of CroMo Steel but the designers are looking to build it out of carbon for an even lighter bike ride.

It’s not in mass-production yet and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up on Kickstarter as there seems to be a lot of interest in Bicymple. It’s easy to see why too, it’s simple yet stylish although it may take some practice to get used to. I for one certainly would be pleased to say bye bye to that annoying chain. If you can’t wait for it to be mass produced, you can inquire about ordering one on their website.